2013 Draft Prep: Pick-by-pick for No. 11 overall

An important aspect on Draft Day that often gets overlooked is paying attention to what happens around you with everyone else in your league. Sometimes you get so focused on your own team you forget to check out what the other owners are doing.

It's crucial to do that when picking toward the end of a round, which we are here at pick No. 11 in our ongoing 12-part series looking at each pick in the first round of a standard and PPR draft. You need to know what the owner at No. 12 is going to do when you pick ahead of them in every odd round. The same applies to the owners at the top of the draft in even rounds.

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We say that because when you need or want a player, you want to anticipate what the owner behind you is going to do and remain a step ahead. For example, in this two-man draft I conducted with my colleague, Dave Richard, there were two instances in the standard league where I made a pick in advance of what Dave was likely planning.

We both went with two running backs with our first two picks at the end of the first round. I knew in Round 3 we both needed a receiver, but I also was looking at Darren Sproles. The top three receivers on my board were Randall Cobb, Victor Cruz and Vincent Jackson, in that order, so I took Cobb at No. 35 overall.

My thought was Dave would definitely take one receiver and probably two. I would have the choice of Sproles, Cruz or Jackson, but it was unlikely Cobb would make it back to me. Instead of taking Sproles in Round 3, I waited and got him in Round 4 along with the receiver I coveted after Dave drafted Cruz and Jackson.

The other instance was in Round 5 and 6. We both needed a quarterback heading into Round 5, but I wanted to wait to take a receiver, which I did in Danny Amendola. I was looking at two quarterback options in Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck, and I would be happy with either one even though I have Griffin ranked higher. As luck would have it, Dave took Luck, leaving me with the quarterback I wanted.

All we're saying is be aware. Use the roster grid in the draft room. Pay attention. The more you know about what's going on around you the better your team will be.

Editor's note: The percentages listed are what position you should target based on that round for each pick.

No. 11 overall -- Round 1

Round 1 - Standard

QB

10%

RB

70%

WR

10%

TE

10%

Round 1 - PPR

QB

0%

RB

30%

WR

20%

TE

50%

The No. 11 spot in a standard league is likely the cutoff point of getting a player you actually love. Alfred Morris is considered the last elite-level running back, and he's an easy choice in standard formats if he falls to this pick. In the PPR league, this is the point to gamble on Jimmy Graham. It might seem shocking to draft a tight end in Round 1, but Graham has the potential to be the biggest difference maker at his position than anyone else, especially if Rob Gronkowski (back) is out for an extended period of time. And taking Graham here still allows you to draft a Top 15 running back in Round 2.

We'll pair Graham with a quality running back in Steven Jackson, who might be near the end of his career but should still do well in his first season with the Falcons. Jackson has more upside in PPR leagues than Morris, who will drop to the second round in this format. In the standard league, we'll go with consecutive running backs to start our team, and Stevan Ridley could be a steal. He should again be around 1,300 total yards and 12 touchdowns as the No. 1 rusher for the Patriots.

Since we avoided receivers so far in the first two rounds in both leagues it's time to get at least one Top 12 option in this spot. In the standard league, Cobb makes sense since he has Top 10 potential, especially if the Packers do force feed him the ball in an effort to get him 100 receptions. In the PPR league we'll go with Cruz, who also has Top 10 potential and makes a good No. 1 receiver when you start your team with Graham and Jackson.

As we've said over and over again throughout this series, stockpiling running back depth is paramount, and we'll take our third option in the standard league. Getting Morris, Ridley and Sproles gives up depth as well as a solid flex with three Top 20 running backs. We still have plenty of time to load up on receivers over the next few rounds. In the PPR league we want our second running back, and Darren McFadden is the best on the board. When you wait until Round 4 to take your second running back, in any format, you want someone with his upside even though he comes with extreme injury risk.

We need to stockpile some running back depth in the PPR league, so getting Rashard Mendenhall makes sense here. He should be the every-down back for the Cardinals, and he serves as a solid flex option in any format. You just have to hope he can stay healthy and the Cardinals offensive line improves this season. In the standard league, we'll take our second receiver in this spot with Amendola. If he can stay healthy he should approach 100 catches as he replaces Wes Welker in New England.

This is the spot in most leagues where I'll begin to look at a quarterback, and Griffin sitting there has me confident I made the right move. This is just about his Average Draft Position at No. 56 overall, so for those of you who say he would never be there in your league, the data doesn't back that up. We now have three standout running backs and two solid receivers before drafting a quarterback, and our team is off to a great start. In the PPR league, we'll take the best value on the board, which is Antonio Brown, who makes for an excellent second receiver in Round 6, especially with the way our roster is coming together.

I'm never opposed to playing a receiver in the flex spot in a PPR league, and we'll gamble on upside here with Jordy Nelson. He's going to fall after having knee surgery in training camp, but if he's ready for Week 1 then this pick is a steal. Don't hesitate to draft Nelson, especially as your third receiver, since he's the Packers second-best receiving threat when healthy behind Cobb. We made the same pick in the standard league, and having Nelson behind Cobb and Amendola is scary good.

I've said before in this series one thing I would avoid in any format is drafting a tight end and quarterback in the first five rounds. Since we took Graham in Round 1, we had to wait for a quarterback, so we'll settle for a potential Top 10 option in Eli Manning. He's going to rebound this year and finish as at least a Top 12 quarterback, which he was the two years prior to his failed 2012 campaign. In the standard league, we'll take a running back with upside in Mark Ingram. This, finally, could be his breakout season, and don't be shocked if he reaches double digits in touchdowns.

Running back would probably make more sense in the PPR league, but we can't pass up talent when it's staring us in the face. Golden Tate will open the season as the best receiver in Seattle with Percy Harvin (hip) hurt, and he should do well in a contract year. Like Nelson, we can use Tate as a flex option in this format. In the standard league, we'll add a receiver with upside in Ryan Broyles. The Lions led the NFL in passing attempts last season, and Broyles should be the No. 2 receiver opposite Calvin Johnson. That means plenty of targets and plenty of single coverage.

It's a coincidence to get Russell Wilson here in both formats, but for each team he makes sense if he's still on the board. If it's not Wilson then consider the highest No. 2 quarterback an option here because it's needed. For Griffin, coming off last year's knee injury, there's still risk of a setback, so cover your roster just in case. And for Manning, there's still the risk of him struggling again, especially if Hakeem Nicks is banged up as he was last season. Wilson, while not a Top 12 quarterback on my board, makes for a great replacement option in case either Griffin or Manning struggle.

We're confident in our team in the PPR league, so it's time to take high-upside selections when they are available. You should generally wait toward the end of your draft to take a DST, but if you feel comfortable with your roster then act early. That's where we are in this round, and we'll take the 49ers DST since the Seahawks are already gone. In the standard league, we'll look for a receiver with upside, and I continue to like Denarius Moore since he's the No. 1 receiver for the Raiders. I'm not confident in quarterback Matt Flynn, but Moore still has potential in his third year.

We don't have a tight end in the standard league, so at this point you're looking for someone with sleeper potential. Jordan Cameron has emerged as one of the top sleepers this preseason, and he has more upside than someone like Owen Daniels or Brandon Pettigrew. And if he falters then we can drop him for Daniels or Pettigrew during the season. In the PPR league, with just three running backs on the roster, we'll get a handcuff option in Jacquizz Rodgers, who would become the starter in Atlanta if Jackson missed any time.

We'll go with another handcuff running back in the PPR league with Rashad Jennings to back up McFadden. We know McFadden has a lengthy injury history, so the No. 2 running back in Oakland makes a lot of sense, especially given the makeup of our roster. We now have the Raiders running backs and the Falcons running backs locked up, and along with Mendenhall we should have enough depth to start our team. In the standard league, it's time for a DST, and the Falcons were a Top 10 unit in 2012 and should have the chance to repeat that performance.

It's time for a kicker in both leagues, and you should do whatever you can to save your kicker for the last round. We end up with our No. 1 kicker in Stephen Gostkowski since Dave likes Blair Walsh as his top kicker. The Patriots offense is going to again be dominant, and Gostkowski should have plenty of chances to shine.

(11:53 am ET)The Eagles released cornerback Cary Williams, who started all 32 games during his two-year tenure in Philly. Williams recorded 127 tackles, five interceptions and 24 passes defensed since joining the Eagles.

Williams, 30, was scheduled to make $6.5 million this season with a cap hit of $8.1 million.

(11:30 am ET)The Falcons signed linebacker Nate Stupar, a special teams standout, to a one-year extension for the minimum, $585,000, reports ESPN.com. Stupar ranked second on the team with nine special teams tackles, seven solo, while appearing in 15 games last season.

(10:09 am ET)The Ravens and former running back Ray Rice settled his wrongful termination grievance in January for $1.588 million, sources told the Baltimore Sun. The financial details were not disclosed until now.

In the grievance, Rice had sought $3.529 million in back pay. The Ravens cut him Sept. 8, hours after the release of a video showing Rice knocking out his then-fiancee in a casino elevator.

Rice hasn't visited any NFL teams, but he's working out regularly and hoping to latch on with a team this season, the paper said.

(9:18 am ET)Despite the fact that New Orleans is $22 million above the salary cap, Saints coach Sean Payton expressed optimism about the team's chances of re-signing free agent running back Mark Ingram, per The Advocate.

“I spoke with him today," Payton told the paper Monday nght. "The good thing about Mark is that we’re real close with his agent. We work a lot with Joel (Segal). [GM] Mickey [Loomis] will talk with him quite a bit. Obviously he’s someone that we want to keep. Hopefully we can do that.”

In 13 games last season, Ingram ran for 964 yards and nine touchdowns while catching 29 passes for 145 yards.

According to NFL.com, it's unlikely the Saints can afford to bring back Ingram.

Patriots' Devin McCourty: There's a 'chance that I might not be back'by Jason Butt | CBSSports.com

(3/2/2015)With the Patriots deciding to use their franchise tag on kicker Stephen Gostkowski, safety Devin McCourty knows his time in New England could be coming to an end.

In an interview with ESPN's Josina Anderson, McCourty said he didn't have much information on what the Patriots would do and was going off of various media reports that came down to the organization deciding whether to franchise him or Gostkowski.

Now that Gostkowski is ineligible from hitting the free agent market, McCourty will test the waters beginning on March 10.

"I guess it's more realistic now that [there's] a chance that I might not be back there," McCourty said. "Or there's still a chance that I will, but I guess [there's] more of a chance now with the franchise tag going to Steve that I could be playing in a different place. Still, keeping an open mind and trying to enjoy the process."

The Texans told Johnson that he'd have a reduced role this upcoming season opposite of DeAndre Hopkins. Therefore, Johnson wanted out of his deal. If a trade cannot be made with a suitor, Johnson will be released.

Johnson was the third overall pick in the 2003 NFL draft and is the greatest player in the history of the Texans. He's recorded 1,012 catches, 13,597 yards and 64 touchdowns in his career.

A trade could be difficult, however, based on Johnson's upcoming $16.1 million cap figure and $10.5 million base salary for the 2015 season.

(3/2/2015)Running back Vick Ballard is poised to be back in the Colts' plans for the 2015 season.

Ballard, who has missed almost all of the previous two seasons due to injuries, hasn't suffered any setbacks with his recovery, according to the Colts' official website. Ballard tore his ACL in 2013 and suffered an Achilles tear before the 2014 season.

“Vick’s doing well. He’s going through rehab right now. He’s on schedule,” Colts coach Chuck Pagano said. "He’s been working his tail. When the doctors say he’s 100 percent and ready to roll, then we’ll get him back on the field.”

Ballard led the Colts in rushing as a rookie in 2012 with 814 yards and two touchdowns. He only played in one game in 2013 before tearing his ACL in a practice the following week. His Achilles tear came during the 2014 preseason.